Are You Ready for a New Career?
Cosmetology training is perfect for someone who has just graduated from high school, or who are looking to change their careers without spending a lot of time preparing for the transition. Becoming a cosmetologist can take as little as 10 months in some states, and allows you to help people look and feel their best.
It takes a special type of person to be happy in a career in cosmetology, however. Follow these tips to determine if attending cosmetology school is right for you.
You Think It Sounds Fun to Work in a Salon
If you thrive in environments that buzz with energy, and there’s always something happening, then you’ll probably enjoy working in a salon.
If you think being up and on your feet and working with your hands all day, rather than being confined to a desk, sounds freeing, then cosmetology might be for you!
If busy spaces and lots of movement bother you, you may be better suited to a career in esthetics, which tends to be carried out in more soothing spaces, like spas.
But cosmetologists have opportunities for careers outside of salons. For example, many start their own businesses, like providing a traveling hair and makeup service for special events, some launch their own beauty blogs, and others work for fashion magazines.
You’re Already Interested in Fields Related to Cosmetology
Licensed cosmetologists know how to style and care for hair, but they also are professional makeup artists and nail technicians.
If you spent childhood and teen years playing with your own hair or styling your friends’ hair, performing DIY manicures and pedicures, or trying new makeup trends, then you’d probably enjoy a career in cosmetology. If you love watching makeup tutorials on YouTube and are fascinated by beauty influencers, cosmetology might be a lot of fun for you.
Even if you love doing hair, makeup, and nails, but aren’t good at them, it’s worthwhile to enroll in cosmetology school. You’ll develop skills over time under the guidance of experienced instructors, and you’ll soon be performing these salon services like a pro!
You Love Interacting with People
Cosmetologists interact with people all day long. And when the clients leave, they’re interacting with other stylists and salon management.
If you’re well-suited for a career in cosmetology, you find it easy to talk to people and are good at building relationships. You generally don’t get tired from interacting or feel uncomfortable meeting new people.
But if you dread the thought of striking up a casual conversation with someone you’ve never met – or only see once in a while – then cosmetology might not be for you. So many people want to chat during their beauty services, and sometimes cosmetologists end up being something like a casual counselor or therapist. If you’re uncomfortable with that, you might want to reconsider career paths.
You Know What Looks Good and Stay Up to Date on Trends
Maybe you’re already interested in visual arts, or perhaps you have a knack for putting together outfits or home decor that align with the latest trends. You can use both those skills in cosmetology, which is one part visual art, one part science!
The field of cosmetology needs your eye for design. In the beauty industry, you’ll apply strategies to hair styling and coloring to complement your client’s features, keeping in mind the science behind beauty. After all, you’re working with chemicals every day during hair coloring and other treatments. (So if you’re somewhat of a mad scientist, perhaps cosmetology school is for you, too.)
Get Started!
Still interested in pursuing a cosmetology career? Your first step is doing an internet search for “cosmetology school near me,” so you can find your local options for obtaining training and certification. Weigh them carefully so you pick the best school for you.
You’ll also want to look into how to become licensed after graduation; every state’s licensure requirements are different.
Once you’ve found the best program for you, it’s off to the races! Because cosmetology programs are much shorter than college degree programs, you can anticipate starting your new career within the year. After all, when you find your dream job, don’t you want to get started on it as soon as possible?
